World Homelessness Day, held yesterday, is a day dedicated to talking about issues and challenges faced by the homeless community.
This is a big issue for Māori, who are often over-represented in such statistics. But how does Aotearoa solve homelessness among Māori, and what is the government doing about the issue?
An Auckland event yesterday shed light on the homeless community where the government was challenged on its actions in this area.
Lifewise is an Auckland-based service, which helps the homeless community in Auckland get back on track.
Lifewise chief executive Haehaetu Barrett says the government isn’t thinking rationally when it comes to cuts for housing and front-line staff.
“The government is taking quite a brutal approach around addressing what is already a high need position for whānau, very vulnerable whānau,” she says.
Also in attendance at the event in Auckland was Māori academic and lawyer Khylee Quince who says a shift in mindframe for Māori homelessness needs to be made.
“We might think of homelessness but of course Māori are never homeless. This is our home, they are houseless. The reason I’m here today is to advocate for housing for our whānau.”
Since 2013, Aotearoa statistics have shown population growth continues to outstrip dwelling growth by 3.82%.
Te Puea Memorial Marae chair Hurimoana Dennis says he has a better plan for decreasing homelessness statistics.
“Ki ahau nei tukua te katoa ki te hapori, tukua ki ngā marae, he aha ai? Nō mātou te tino mārama, he aha te nawe, he aha te taumaha, kei whea mai, ko wai. Kei konei mātou.”
I believe you should send them into the communities, send them to our marae. Why? Because we understand what their troubles are, what their hardships are, where they’re from and who they are. We are here.”.
Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says emergency housing is available as a short-term last resort option for people in genuine need.
He says the government is also delivering continued housing support services, increasing the supply of social housing homes, and working with private rental owners to ensure it is targeting help for those in greatest need.
In Auckland the number of dwellings being built has been rising since 2018, with accommodation being built 6.5% faster than the growth of the population.
Quince says despite positive statistics in Auckland, the numbers continue to show that Māori overrepresented in homelessness statistics.
She believes social housing and emergency housing are only temporary solutions to an enduring problem.
“We need people to have permanent housing. Whare that are close to all of their social suppports, to their ability to attain work, to put their tamariki, mokopuna in safe schooling. So housing is a human right.”
And with many frontline services having staff reductions due to a lack of government funding, Barrett says for many staff their job is done “out of love”.
“These teams are doing dit ay in and day out. These teams are doing outreach community work in the middle of the night most times. So, when we look at cuts the government really needs to look though the lens of what that decision is made on.”
Dennis further adds saying, a Māori lens may be the way forward for the nation as a whole.
“Kāre au i kitea te mana me te tapu o tā rātou nei pūnaha. He pākehā kē, mai i te tīmatanga, ki te mutunga.”
I can’t see the power and sacredness in their systems. It’s Pākehā driven, from start to finish.
